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Can Christians Use NLP?

By Douglas Cartwright

If you are a Christian who has considered using Neuro-Linguistic Programming it is likely you will have be warned off it with statements like:

NLP is manipulative.
NLP is dangerous
NLP is a humanistic attempt to replace God.
Visualising is wrong.
NLP is a tool of the devil.

I know one minister in the United States of America who was actually asked to leave his church because he used some of the tools of NLP. He was and is a man dedicated to helping others enjoy and serve God.

So what’s all the fuss about? Is it really that bad or can Christians use the tools in service of spreading the ‘good news’?

I have been using NLP for 16 years and have been a Christian for 12 years. I don’t have all the answers but I have come to some conclusions about the use of NLP - the advantages and the dangers. I can only cover these briefly here but I hope my ideas are helpful.

One of the first things to consider is the philosophy of NLP. Any self help tool has a theoretical underpinning and the creators of NLP use a number of presuppositions (assumptions) to help them in their work, such as:

The Map is not the territory (what you think about the world is not the same as the way the world is)
People have all the resources they need to solve their problems
You cannot not communicate.
The meaning of your communication is the result it gets.
And many more.

As there are about 22, you can find many lists of these on the internet under ‘NLP presuppositions’. In fact, all therapists, coaches, psychologists presuppose things about you so don’t be fooled by any statements about ‘value free’ services. It’s values all the way down, folks.

The important point here is to examine these assumptions (and their explanations) and decide for yourself which of them align with the word of God.

It is also important to realise you don’t have accept these presuppositions as ‘true’ because even the creators say that these assumptions cannot be proved, they are just useful to use. The better news is that you can still use the tools without having to use or believe the ‘assumptions’ because they are not ‘laws’ just theories (as indeed are most psychological works). I know this from personal experience.

Because NLP produces some powerful results there certainly is a danger of looking to its tools to solve your problems instead of submitting them to God first, and then using the tools in his service. I have done this myself and there is a temptation to try and solve it myself first without giving honour to God. I think also there is the danger of treating NLP like a religion, another evangel of ‘good news’ because of its power to help people change.

But just as you go to a doctor who treats your body like an organic machine that needs to be fixed with medicine, you can use NLP to treat certain conditions of the mind - and make improvements. It’s no different and if you think it is, perhaps you should stop seeing your doctor because he doesn’t believe in God? And do you worship your doctor because he knows more than you about the way your body works? He uses his knowledge like a tool-kit to improve human functioning. A good NLP Practitioner can be like an engineer for your thinking processes.

Where NLP comes in useful is in its focus on human functioning and what you can do to function more effectively. NLP uses the metaphor of a computer to represent the human mind. Our ‘computer mind’ has ‘programs’ which create our thinking and behaviours and can be ‘programmed’.

This word is one of the things that people react emotionally to - ‘programmed’, especially when they hear about NLP courses where people are ‘put’ into deep trances and ideas are fed into their minds. A very human fear is the fear of being ‘controlled’ and so people stay away, not realising that the tools of NLP themselves are designed to put them at ’cause’ rather than effect. But if you don’t like a guided visualisation because you are concerned the trainer will put in his spin on ‘the universe will provide’ just sit out, or better still find a Christian NLP Trainer.

Of course, this means we can bring up the related idea that ‘NLP is manipulative’ and here I get a bit annoyed. Accepting this statement at face value is a bit like saying all Rottweiler’s are dangerous, or that every man working with children is a potential paedophile etc. In the UK we have a media addicted to creating scares that have led to people stopping eating eggs, chocolate bars, baby food etc.

Every knife is a potential weapon but that doesn’t stop a surgeon using one to cut out a cancer or you to cut vegetables in your kitchen. The issue is one of intent as well as usage.

I, and thousands of others, have used NLP to:

Create rapport leading to deeper more fulfilling relationships
Heal people of deep hurts helping them to lead healthier more enjoyable lives
Reconnect people with parts of themselves
Manage toxic emotions
Reconnect with their God-given abilities and talents

People have also used NLP to:

Seduce women
Con people into buying things they later realise they didn’t want
Create fear and phobias
Intimidate and overpower

It’s all a matter of intent. Would you stop reading the bible because of what happened at the Church for Mary and the restoration of the Ten Commandments (they locked all their members in a building and burned them to death). They read the same bible you do.

Because NLP can be used to communicate any idea more effectively, people who believe differently to Christians have mixed Shamanism, pagan ideas and all kinds of other beliefs about life, the universe and everything into their teaching. And so people think this is what NLP is about.

I think that using NLP has some potential problems, as you see above. But if you search around on the internet you can find sincere Christians who are attempting to sort the wheat from the chaff and use the ’safe’ end of the knife.

Why Choose Porcelain Bathroom Tiles?

By Derek Farley

If you are planning on replacing your bathroom tiles, an excellent choice will be Porcelain tiles. Porcelain bathroom tiles are very durable, comes in a variety of colors and textures and are just as easy to install as ceramic tile. An overview of porcelain bathroom tiles will give you a good foundation to build on and plan for your new bathroom.

Porcelain tiles made today with advanced technology gives the new Porcelain a look of marble or granite. It is also extremely durable as it is resistant to scratches, wear and tear and cleaner usage. Since it is completely non-absorbent, Porcelain tile can be used indoors and outdoors. Because of this, Porcelain tile is great for the bathroom.

For the Environmentally conscious consumer, Porcelain bathroom tiles needs to be your first choice as Porcelain bathroom tiles are completely recyclable and are only made with natural products.

When installing Porcelain bathroom tiles, keep in mind that the grout needs to be as small and tight as possible to aid in the non-absorbent aspect of the whole project. Larger grout will tend to crack over time. Although Porcelain bathroom tiles will not stain, it can become dull looking if not cleaned thoroughly. This can be avoided simply by making sure the surface has been cleaned of the dirty wash water. Simply use clean water and a soft cloth to dry completely.

Glazed Porcelain tiles are the best choice for do-it-yourself as well as commercially installed. These Porcelain tiles has a glaze applied to the top of the tile for an enhanced sheen. If you are doing it yourself, be sure to consult with the tile dealer on what types of grout you will use.

Through-bodied Porcelain tiles do not have a glaze, therefore is even more resistant to wear and tear as there is nothing to wear off. If by some odd chance that a chip develops in this Porcelain, it will be unnoticeable since the Porcelain bathroom tiles are solid throughout the tile. These tiles are typically only used when using a commercial installer.

The price of Porcelain tiles are actually very competitive. A consideration to keep in mind though, is that Porcelain bathroom tiles will be more expensive than ordinary vinyl tile, but you are also purchasing a higher quality product and much longer lasting. This will be a sound investment to your home.

Types of Card Printing Equipment

By Jaymee Lacap

People of all walks of life have a real desire for security in their place of work, school and home. Surely that is what you want for yourself and your loved ones. Most persons want more than just a promise of better conditions to come at some indefinite, future time. There are urgent problems of life that face us right now. What is needed is something that provides genuine security from groups or institutions and that will keep doing so in the years to come. Is such security possible? Of course, as it is made under the Plastic Cards Ireland printer.

They engineered card printing equipments into several types based on your practical needs. Different types of it are such as follows:

Datacard® SP25 Plus printer - This Plastic card printer is perfectly made for issuing of retail and loyalty, membership and Identification cards. The Datacard SP25 Plus printer is made for small volume production and can be easily manually directed. This full-color combination or monochrome card printing and rewritable card printing technology is uniquely offered in a competitive and bi-functional design by the Plastic Card Ireland.

Datacard® SP35 Plus card printer - This card printing equipment brings about vivid one sided cards in a vast speed, excellent imaging and simple operation that conveniently ideal for those in the education, healthcare and staffing industries etc. This card printing equipment can produce customized up to 160 full-color cards or 750 one-color cards per hour. The Plastic Cards Ireland is tremendously easy to carry because of its lightness for about nine pounds and portability. This printer is compact and glossy with Advanced Imaging Technology. SP35 can be upgraded anytime by its multiple options and capabilities.

Datacard® SP55 Plus card printer - This printer equipment handles high professional grade card such as for corporate, education, entertainment and other market institutions. This produces larger number of full-color cards assuring the high quality edge to edge image printing with front card loading and unloading for easy placement. Plastic Cards Ireland offers a built-in LCD and discretionary Ethernet connectivity. It can process secured IDs in schools and same with loyalty cards or and VIP cards for casinos. This also provides necessary information such as message prompts, image previews and user online.

SP75 Plus card printer - An ideal for government agencies, high-tech corporations, universities and other security-minded organizations to protect people, facilities and critical assets. The card lamination defends it from tampering. It also has Ultraviolet fluorescent printing capability that comes as a standard feature as well as theft preventing software and Kensington® lock that secures the printer itself. An assurance for colleges, universities and others.

RP90 Plus card printer - This is highly dedicated for government agencies and organizations to implement strict safety and security. It prints high-quality photo IDs with the help of its high-performance in printing for heavy duty applications with exceptional durability and high class cards. Not like other printer, its versatility is extremely different.

Porcelain Door Knobs

By Elizabeth Morgan

Porcelain door knobs are perfect pieces of door hardware. They can add a touch of style and elegance to your doors. These door knobs can be installed quickly and easily on any type of door.

Just like other door knobs, porcelain knobs are also available for different purposes like entrance, passage, privacy, and dummy. The entrance porcelain door knobs are fully functional with locks and latches. Privacy and passage sets are used on bathroom and bedroom doors. Porcelain dummy knobs make a perfect addition for your cupboards and closets.

Usually, porcelain knobs come in a complete set of two pieces. They are available in different sizes. However, the standard ones measure 2 ¼ or 2 ½ diameter. Most porcelain door knobs feature a short iron, brass or bronze stem. A matching backplate is also provided in some cases. The backplates normally come in five different finishes - satin nickel, antique brass, polished brass, chrome, and oil-rubbed bronze.

Porcelain door knobs are available in a choice of colors and finishes. Black, white, and brown are the common colors. Ivory and almond colored door knobs are also available. You can also find a good selection of embossed and hand-painted porcelain door knobs. Porcelain door knobs also feature a variety of styles. Victorian designs to the modern styles are available in the market. Meadows and prairie are the other popular styles. Both round and oval door knobs are available.

To keep the original look and finish, porcelain door knobs must be dusted regularly. They can be cleaned using warm soapy water. Try to avoid abrasive cleaning materials, as they may damage the porcelain.